Mother Knows Best
by Soporific Barbiturates
Summary: In which Gandalf's task of convincing Bilbo Baggins to become the Burglar in Thorn Oakenshield's Company goes much easier with Belladonna Baggins nee Took's help. Belladonna, of course, just really wants the comb she left in Rivendell back.


-1-

Belladonna Baggins nee Took sighed as she took another puff of the Longbottom leaf, rubbing her aching knee through the heavy fabric of her skirt. Even summer days felt cold now that age had melted away the fat from under her skin and left her skin and bone. The heat of the smoke in her mouth and breath warmed her but it was not nearly enough for her liking.

How cruel time could be, she thought to herself, remembering a time when she had travelled all the way to Rivendell in the winter with naught but a travelling cloak to shield her from brisk winds of winter. Oh, but she missed her youth.

But then she missed many things. She missed being strong enough to climb trees, she missed dancing in Midwinter celebrations, she missed the silver comb she left in Rivendell. She missed her husband most of them all, of course and longed to join him. Already she felt stretched too thin, holding on for so long but she couldn't just leave her darling child like that. Why, if she left him to his devices he'd forget his Took-ish roots and spend all his time with his Baggins responsibilities. She was waiting, waiting for that moment when Bilbo would come into his own and now she could almost smell it in the air.

Oh, wait, she did smell it in the air. That sharp smells of the powder used in fireworks, the mud dragged in from the Bruinen, the smoke from Old Toby that he favoured.

Gandalf was in town.

"Good Morning," said that old friend of hers and Belladonna rolled her eyes.

"About time you got here!" She could help but exclaim, shaking her head at the wizard. He smiled in that crooked way of his and loomed over her. She snorted and reached out with her walking cane, whacking him in the shin before he could react and he proceeded to howl and glare and her. "Oh stop with the dramatics. Do you know how long I've been waiting for you? A little while longer and Bilbo might have refused to leave Bag-End at all. As it is you're going to have an uphill battle convincing him to have an adventure."

"It's a good thing I have you to help then, hmm?" He peered out at her from under the brim of his hat and they burst into laughter.

It tapered off into low chuckles as they felt eyes upon them and turned to see Bilbo standing there, eyes wide, his head flicking from one to the other like a broken toy. When the frantic head turning finally stopped and his eyes returned to their normal hobbit-y size he cleared his throat.

Bilbo's hand was clutched tight around the ham wrapped in paper that he held under his arm and his toes dug into the ground, tense as if preparing to run away screaming at any second.

Darling boy.

"Hehehe," He laughed, a high and utterly fake sound, "What's going on here?"

"Bilbo, you remember my friend Gandalf," Belladonna said, whacking her son's shins to remind him of his manners.

"Oh, yes of course, Gandalf, the uh-uhm," He spluttered for a while before suddenly brightening, "The wizard from your stories, Mithrandir!" As quickly as his countenance had brightened it fell and he glared at Gandalf.

"—I hope you're not trying to convince my mother to go on an adventure again." He said threateningly, well, as threateningly as he could which was not very much.

Belladonna couldn't' help the snort that left her, not that she was trying to. That was her Bilbo, forgetting about himself, only worrying about her. Darling boy.

"Of course I'm not going on an adventure," Bilbo almost sank to his knees in relief and a smirk lit up her face, " _You_ are."

"WHAT?!"

"It'll be very good for you," She said and Gandalf chimed in.

"-and most amusing for me." Gandalf said, turning a bit in his step, "I shall inform the others."

"How many should we expect?" Belladonna asked, most intrigued. Her own adventures, while not entirely on the lonesome hadn't much in way of company. The Rangers she had travelled with melted into shadows when working and they seemed to always be working. From the mischief in Gandalf's eyes it was not Rangers that Bilbo would be travelling with.

"Thirteen guests, all in all. They have all been travelling on separate paths and could do with a good hot meal."

"Of course." Belladonna nodded and began plans. The second pantry might have to emptied, which would be a lot of fun. Bilbo didn't let her have much of the lovely cheeses they kept there, insisting that they weren't good for her, she might be able to sneak in a robust slice for herself in the inevitable chaos of thirteen guests.

"I'm not going on any adventure!" Bilbo insisted and Belladonna waved him off.

"Yes, you will, I'll tell Hamfast to send to town for some more food and then we'll start planning your will."

"But, Mother-" Bilbo started only to stop as she looked at him with the most sad and fragile look she could manage.

(It wasn't very sad and fragile, but her boy had never really been able to deny her anything)

"I'm getting old Bilbo, and I'd like to wear the little silver comb I left in Rivendell one last time."

The stricken look on his face melted her heart but she held strong and Bilbo sighed turning to Gandalf.

"When do we leave?"


End file.
